This invention relates to acidified cocoa nibs comprising high levels of polyphenols, as well as refiner or expeller flakes, cocoa liquor, cocoa cake, and cocoa powder obtainable from the nibs and a process for the production of treated cocoa-derived material.
Cocoa products are often treated with a solution of alkalising agent e.g. a hydroxide or carbonate of sodium or potassium with the object of obtaining a product with a less astringent and richer taste and a deeper and more attractive colour. There is a desire amongst some consumers for cocoa products that have a different colour. The use of coloured cocoa products can restrict the use of artificial food colourings or allow the use of less colouring material, for example.
In order to obtain cocoa powders with different colours, alkalisation of cocoa products such as cocoa seeds, cocoa beans and cocoa nibs has been used as described in, for example, GB 1 243 909, U.S. Pat. No. 2,380,158 U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,436, U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,292, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,866 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,917. Roasting is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,292 and GB 2 416 106.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,730 discloses a method of making dark cocoa powder from cocoa powder in a water slurry at a temperature below 200° F. in less than about 60 minutes and spray drying the final product.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,957,769 describes the extraction of a fermented unroasted cocoa material and the treatment of both the extract and the residual material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,490 discloses the hydrolysis of unfermented cocoa to produce chocolate flavour. US 2003/0129276 describes a treated cocoa liquor for making chocolate crumb. US 2005/0031762 discloses the production of a low fat cocoa extract by adding acetic acid to fresh seeds and/or underfermented seeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,512,663 describes the treatment of roasted cocoa nibs to produce flavour or essence constituents from the cocoa-bearing material.
US 2007/0254068 discloses a method of producing a cocoa beverage containing beneficial cocoa polyphenols. Such polyphenols are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,656.
GB 345,250 discloses the recovery and purification of alkaloids from cocoa products.
WO 2008/043058 and US 2008/107783 describe a method of producing high-brightness cocoa powder and related components.
WO 98/09533 discloses cocoa components, edible products having enhanced polyphenol content, methods of making the same and medical uses.
US 20080268097 describes cocoa ingredients having enhanced levels of stilbene compounds and methods of producing them.
EP 1946643 A1 discloses food ingredients with reduced sourness at low pH. U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,562 describes an enzymatic treatment of cocoa. US 2004/0191403 discloses chocolate flavour manipulation.